Category: Economy and Markets
Sri Lanka government wins 2009 budget vote
Dec 08, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s government Friday won a crucial vote in parliament on its budget for 2009 with a majority of 42 votes, a parliamentary reporter said. To receive instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘lbo’ and send to 678 The government managed to win 126 votes in favour […]
Sri Lanka stocks head down, Com Bank falls further
Dec 08, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares Monday opened the week lower on very low trading volumes with Commercial Bank falling for the second day after it revealed a hefty exposure in a crude oil hedge deal. To receive instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘lbo’ and send to 678 The […]
‘s politicians play petroleum politics
Dec 05, 2008 (LBO) – Despite printing money to subsidize oil and driving inflation sky high, speculating in oil derivatives to keep prices down and getting the entire nation into trouble, Sri Lanka’s politics of petroleum deception is still riding high.When inflation is high the ‘burden’ of government is borne more by the poor and […]
Sri Lanka central bank defends itself from hedging fire
Nov 05, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s central bank, under fire for advising a state-run petroleum firm to hedge oil imports using derivatives in the belief that it helped the balance of payments, has issued a statement defending its actions. The full statement is reproduced below: Hedging : A Clarification re. the Central Bank’s Role […]
Sri Lanka shares fall, Com Bank down after oil hedge exposure revelation
Dec 05, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares headed down Friday on low trading volumes with Commercial Bank falling sharply after it revealed a sizeable exposure in an crude oil hedge deal whose payments have been suspended on a court order. To receive instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘lbo’ and send […]
IMF suggests Latvia should break soft-peg with euro: finance minister
RIGA, December 4, 2008 (AFP) – The IMF has suggested that Latvia drop the peg linking its national currency with the euro to help solve the country’s deepening economic woes, Finance Minister Atis Slakteris said Thursday, adding that his government disagrees. “There is a group of experts of the International Monetary Fund that thinks that […]
Sri Lanka headline index falls below core inflation
Dec 04, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s controversial ‘core’ inflation index, which the Central Bank says it uses for monetary policy decisions, was at 18.1 percent in November, overtaking the so-called ‘headline’ figure which is at 16.3 percent, the latest data shows.The Central Bank said the headline Colombo Consumers’ Price Index (CCPI) fell 16.3 percent […]
Sri Lanka share trading slumps to six-year low
Dec 04, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares sagged further Thursday as trading volumes slumped to a six-year low of 13 million rupees with high interest rates and uncertainty over future company earnings keeping investors away, brokers said. To receive instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘lbo’ and send to 678 The […]
Sri Lanka Seylan Bank to sell 5-year debentures
Dec 03, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Seylan Bank is seeking at least 400 million rupees through a 5-year debenture issue that offers annual interest rates as high as 21.5 percent with an option to raise a further 600 million rupees. To receive instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘lbo’ and send […]
US in recession since December 2007: official panel
WASHINGTON, December 2, 2008 (AFP) – A US recession began in December 2007, a panel of economists charged with the official designation of business cycles said Monday.But the gross domestic product (GDP) data may have been skewed by tax rebates that stimulated consumer spending, according to analysts. The NBER said “we do not identify economic […]
Sri Lanka shares weaken, trading slumps to 4-year low
Dec 02, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lankan shares weakened Tuesday with trading drying up and turnover slumping to a low of 33 million rupees, the lowest for four years, dealers said.Sri Lankan shares have been on a long slide owing to a slowing economy and poor company earnings amidst high inflation and interest rates. On […]
Sri Lanka monsoon floods affect 370,000: UN
GENEVA, December 2, 2008 (AFP) – Monsoon floods in the north of Sri Lanka have affected more than 370,000 people, with 71,000 being displaced, the United Nations said Tuesday.Tamil Tiger guerrillas, who began their struggle for a separate Tamil homeland in 1972, are currently facing the Sri Lankan army’s biggest ever offensive in the north.“The […]